Click here for photos of Death From Above at 2017 Riot Fest in Chicago, IL
Click here for photos of Death From Above 1979 at 2015 Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL
Click here for photos of Death From Above 1979 at 2015 Governors Ball in New York, NY
Click here for photos of Death From Above 1979 at 2014 Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX
Click here for photos of Death From Above 1979 at 2011 FYF Fest in Los Angeles, CA
Click here for photos of Death From Above 1979 at 2011 Sasquatch! Festival in George, WA
When Death From Above 1979 returned five years after their break-up, Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler were greeted rapturously as energetic founders of dance-punk. That continued with reunion record The Physical World (QRO review), which delivered the crashing, crushing sound their fans wanted. So how does follow-up Outrage! Is Now fare? While it can’t be the smashing return of World, DFA definitely once again deliver.
[note: The band finally came to terms with indie-dance DFA Records, as the name dispute caused the group to initially add their birth year to their title. So now they’re back to just plain old ‘Death From Above’]
As is expected/required, Outrage opens in big, crashing fashion with “Nomad”, and really never lets up. Indeed, at only 37 minutes, it’s a rather short record, but brings the thunder from start to finish, the closing, hitting procession “Holy Books”. DFA does mix tempo, from the slower processions of “Books”, “Moonlight” & “Statues”, and the frenetic energy of “Nomad”, “Caught Up”, and “All I C Is U & Me” (with the title track mixing the two); it largely the energetic songs that are superior, certainly stand out more.
After the bracing return of The Physical World, Outrage! Is Now is pretty much in the same vein (despite a bit more socio-political lyrics). But that’s exactly what you want.
